This invention relates in general to a rack and pinion steering apparatus and in particular to a steering gear pinion bearing assembly for supporting a pinion in such a rack and pinion steering apparatus.
A rack and pinion steering apparatus has a housing containing a rack and a pinion. The rack has a longitudinally extending row of rack teeth in meshing engagement with helical gear teeth on the pinion. The opposite ends of the rack bar project outward from the housing and are connected with a steering linkage and a corresponding pair of steerable vehicle wheels. The pinion is connected with the vehicle steering wheel by an input shaft and a torsion bar. When a steering maneuver is being performed the pinion rotates and the rack bar moves longitudinally.